DETROIT | Development & Construction: Motown Lowdown

[pacifist112]

Originally Posted by Docta_Love

Btw is this the trench you are talking about? In an update I believe it says the historic commission meeting where Olympia development is to make their case for demolishing the Park Avenue Hotel, although it seems to me that they are assuming they will get the demo permit and the trench is preliminary site work.

http://m.detroit.curbed.com/archives...tel-trench.php

nope, I'm talking about the one in capital park, I probably got the name wrong. its the building scheduled for demo next to the building being turned into apartments called the briggs house

[animatedmartian]

Originally Posted by pacifist112

nope, I'm talking about the one in capital park, I probably got the name wrong. its the building scheduled for demo next to the building being turned into apartments called the briggs house

Yea that's the Park Avenue Building. There's like 2 other buildings on Park Avenue that are named after the street; Park Avenue House (which is a hotel) and Park Avenue Hotel which is next to the arena.

Anyway, I haven't heard anything about what's going on in that area.

[Docta_Love]

nope, I'm talking about the one in capital park, I probably got the name wrong. its the building scheduled for demo next to the building being turned into apartments called the briggs house

Yea that's the Park Avenue Building. There's like 2 other buildings on Park Avenue that are named after the street; Park Avenue House (which is a hotel) and Park Avenue Hotel which is next to the arena.

Anyway, I haven't heard anything about what's going on in that area.

It is confusing though they're movin dirt by both

[animatedmartian]

Brick facade on LTU Center in Midtown.


http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...me-stretch.php

[skyfan]

Brush Park redevelopment plan expected to include Gilbert

The city of Detroit is expected on Wednesday to announce redevelopment plans for Brush Park that includes Dan Gilbert.

Detroit issued a request for proposal to redevelop two parcels totaling 8.4 acres last year.

Crain’s first reported in February that Gilbert’s Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC was one of the RFP respondents.

A source said an announcement is expected around noon tomorrow in Brush Park and that multiple developers are involved in the largely residential plan to redevelop the mostly vacant area, which is part of the 100-plus-acre neighborhood that was once home to some of Detroit’s most prominent families

.

Sounds like this is going to be an impressive project


http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...nclude-gilbert

[animatedmartian]

$70M, over 300 housing units coming to Detroit's Brush Park
By Ian Thibodeau. May 06, 2015.







To be immediately renovated...


Dan Gilbert's Bedrock Real Estate Services is partnering with the City of Detroit and other community leaders to revamp 8.4 acres in Detroit's Brush Park neighborhood.

With the massive $70 million development project, Bedrock officials said at a Wednesday press conference that four Victorian mansions on the block will be redeveloped, too.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Wednesday that Bedrock, which has focussed much of its money and efforts on downtown Detroit in the last few years, was one of nine companies to bid on the project.

The project further extends big development into Detroit neighborhoods.

....

Bedrock Principal Steve Rosenthal said Wednesday that he expects to begin work on redeveloping the four historic mansions immediately, and moving families into the new buildings by the end of 2016.
According to Duggan, 51 percent of the hours worked on the development will be done by Detroit residents.

Twenty percent of the 337 new housing units will qualify as affordable housing.

The project will be completed along with the Brush Park Development Partners, LLC. The group includes Marvin Beatty, Darrel Burks, Freman Hendrix, Pamela Rodgers, Sam Thomas and Bedrock.

Duggan said Wednesday's press conference marks the beginning of the project, and that all renderings are subject to change -- in fact, they probably will.

The plans still have to be approved by Detroit City Council, which should see the initial proposals by June.

.....

Initial renderings of the site show a fairly modern design scheme with the exception of the four historic homes.

Rosenthal said Wednesday that the artist's conceptions of the Bedrock's plans aren't set in stone. They'll be taking the history of Brush Park into account when they plan the look of the development.

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in..._coming_t.html

[uaarkson]

Amazing. This is the blockbuster development we've all been waiting for.

[animatedmartian]

Also in development news, apartments built next to Comerica Park could have roof top bleachers. Construction wouldn't begin until after the the baseball season is over with once the deal is finalized (September/October).

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/bus...park/26957499/

[DecoJim]

The Brush Park proposal looks pretty high density. I am glad they are not portraying the new construction as neo-Victorian.

I look forward to seeing the Ransom Gillis house (the one with the turret) and the other three remaining mansions restored to their former glory.

[Docta_Love]

Also in development news, apartments built next to Comerica Park could have roof top bleachers. Construction wouldn't begin until after the the baseball season is over with once the deal is finalized (September/October).

Practically it's probably a smart move to wait until after the baseball season ends, Woodward is going to be a mess until M1 rail wraps up and right across the way you have the new Red Wings Arena and Arena District development just ramping up now.

[Docta_Love]

Historic Parts of Southwestern High School Will Survive
by Paul Beshouri
Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The proposed revitalization of Southwestern High School is ON. Detroit's time-honored "this-is-actually-happening" ceremony was held behind the school yesterday afternoon, meaning officials praised each other while reporters squinted at propped-up renderings.
Here's what we know: The auto supplier next door, Sakthi Automotive, will buy and rehab the historic school for "offices, training and warehousing." But not all of the school will survive.

Inevitably, there's more: Sakthi is also constructing a "100,000-square-foot lightweight metal advanced casting facility" (shown in the renderings) in the space currently occupied by the track and football field. They're also grabbing huge buildings on either side of Southwestern, including a former Fisher Body factory and the old American Mailers warehouse, though there isn't any detail on the future of those buildings.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ll-survive.php

[JonathanGRR]

Bedrock has bought Clark Lofts and, more importantly the David Stott tower from DDI:

Gilbert's Bedrock buys David Stott tower, Clark Lofts
John Gallagher | May 18, 2015

Bedrock Real Estate Services announced Monday it has purchased two historic buildings in downtown Detroit – the David Stott Building and Clark Lofts, both located in the Capitol Park district.

Bedrock is the real estate arm of businessman Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans family of companies. Gilbert and his partners now own or control more than 70 properties in downtown Detroit including Greektown Casino, One Woodward Avenue, the First National Building, and the Federal Reserve Building where the Detroit Free Press has its offices.

The two latest buildings, which are currently vacant, will be renovated and managed by Bedrock. The buildings were previously owned by Shanghai, China-based DDI Group. As in the past, Bedrock did not reveal what it paid for the buildings.

"We look forward to bringing new life to these beautiful properties which are in need of substantial repairs," said Jim Ketai, managing partner and CEO of Bedrock Real Estate Services. "As always, we will fully explore the best possible uses for these buildings that fit with all of the continued growth downtown. The Stott Building and Clark Lofts will no doubt play a vital role in the future of the Capitol Park neighborhood."
...

http://www.freep.com/story/money/bus...imon/27535855/

This is definitely great news in my opinion. While it is certainly great to have diversity among downtown property owners, DDI was contributing nothing to the buildings...better Gilbert than letting them sit empty.

[animatedmartian]

Midtown boom starts to shake up New Center
By KIRK PINHO



In the late 1980s, the unofficial "Mayor of Midtown" saw the potential in the seedier areas surrounding Wayne State University. And it's been a slow and steady process over decades to make Midtown the thriving neighborhood it is today.

Now Sue Mosey, one of the pioneers of that enclave's resurgence, is increasing her focus on the New Center area, which finally shows signs of coming into its own.

Midtown Detroit Inc., of which Mosey is the executive director, purchased 11 buildings last month in New Center and envisions a catalytic, high-impact mixed-use redevelopment there that could jump-start New Center, the neighborhood just north of the reinvestment booms in Midtown and downtown.

Mosey said New Center's promise is becoming more apparent now that the M-1 Rail project, the 3.3-mile rail loop between Congress Street and Grand Boulevard in New Center, is under construction and investment will be pushed north along Woodward Avenue.

...

Spread out over 11 buildings, ranging from 1,072 to 25,092 square feet, the space is expected to be converted into mixed-use with retail, multi-family residential and perhaps even boutique hotel space, Mosey said.

However, Midtown is still determining specifically what it will do with each of the properties. "This Woodward block was identified as a critical component of (Midtown Detroit Inc.'s) master development plan for the district and essential to meeting the needs of the residential and business community," Mosey said in an email to Crain's.

"MDI will focus on repositioning approximately 40,000 square feet of unoccupied space into active retail and residential and in some cases re-tenant space into the quality space which is in great demand in the Midtown district."

....

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-up-new-center

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...lling_dan.html

Stott to become apartments, major retail on the way. 2015 is shaping up to be a doozy of a year for my beloved D!

[The North One]

Things are really coming together now, I would die if they announced something for Book Tower.

[uaarkson]

Downtown Detroit got snapped up in the blink of an eye. These developments would have each individually blown my mind two years ago.

[Docta_Love]

Things are really coming together now, I would die if they announced something for Book Tower.

The feeling is mutual, i'm dieing to see what it would look like after getting power washed. Although I do remember hearing that some darker materials were used in the detail work back in 06' when the previous owner cleaned the facade of the Book Building.

Downtown Detroit got snapped up in the blink of an eye. These developments would have each individually blown my mind two years ago.

It really is mind boggling to think about, the renovation of the David Stott a couple years ago would be a signature development that would have most likely needed tax incentives to push it over the edged of viability. Now its almost a side note compared to the Arena & Arena District, the Brush Park Redevelopment and not to mention the Hudson's Site Redevelopment which according to the article continues to move forward.


There have also been rumblings that the city is interested in building a riverfront arena for a future professional soccer club. Right now the wildly popular semi-pro Detroit City FC aka Le Rouge is battling it out with the Michigan Bucks who are in a higher league and owned by the mayor's brother. Detroit City FC has also been looking into renovating 7,000 seat Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck as another option.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...s-possible.php


Grand Rapids based super store Meijer's second Detroit location in the Old Redford area is now hiring and should be opening soon with that in mind Meijer's is looking at the possibility of opening up a third location on the city's Lower East Side. The area in question extends from I-375 to the border of Grosse Pointe Park.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-detroit-store

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

New renderings of the Campus Martius-like park on the west side of downtown, brought to us by DTE Energy.


Article: http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-park-downtown

A few highlights -

- The park will cost $5-10 mil., and will be run/maintained by the same people who manage Campus Martius.
- Construction begins this summer and will wrap up by spring 2016.
- While DTE has renovated a few other buildings near its campus, the gray sea of parking lots will be developed by private developers and not DTE itself.

[mind field]

June 26, 2015 1:32 p.m. UPDATED A DAY AGO Crain's Detroit Business

Ferndale IT company Creative Breakthroughs opening downtown Detroit office

By Kirk Pinho

Ferndale-based Creative Breakthroughs Inc. is opening an office in nearly 10,000 square feet of space in downtown Detroit in early fall.

The information technology advisory and network security services company, which goes by CBI, is taking the second, third and fourth floors in the 15,000-square-foot building at 1260 Library St., according to a news release from Farmington Hills-based Friedman Integrated Real Estate Solutions LLC, which represented landlord Corked Tusk Development LLC, an entity registered to Paul Huth.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...rnoon-20150626


50 new workers expected, expected to grow to 100 shortly!

[animatedmartian]

Second tower planned for Detroit's Crowne Plaza Pontchartrain
By SHERRI WELCH. June 28, 2015.



The owners of the Crowne Plaza Pontchartrain Detroit are considering a second tower on its downtown Detroit site, the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau has confirmed.

Construction of a second tower — which experts say would cost in the $30 million-to-$35 million range — could bring the hotel up to 800-850 rooms. That would make it the state's second largest, behind the riverfront Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.

And it could help the city gain an edge in attracting large conferences.

"One of our challenges is we don't have as many hotel rooms that are an easy walk to the convention center like many of our competitors do," said Michael O'Callaghan, executive vice president and COO of the convention bureau.

A second tower at the Pontchartrain would allow the RenCen Marriott and other hotels downtown to "play well together as a group in bringing these conventions to the city," he said.

.....

The owner — Pontchartrain Detroit Hotel LLC, a Mexican and European investors group led by Mexican investor Gabriel Ruiz Huerta — has been discussing a second tower for about the past six months, O'Callaghan said.

Although the idea isn't new — it was part of the hotel's original plan when it opened in 1965 and has been talked about from time to time over the years — "this is a recent plan," O'Callaghan said. "This current group of owners recognizes there's some good potential."

"And from what I've seen, (the) second tower is even bigger than the current one.

The hotel reopened in July 2013 after a $5 million renovation.

The 25-story hotel has 367 guest rooms, including more than 60 suites, as well as an indoor pool, business center, ballroom and 10,000 square feet of meeting space.

Its location directly across Washington Boulevard from Cobo Center makes it an ideal location, O'Callaghan said.

He thinks the demand for an additional 400-450 rooms at the hotel is already there, given interest from groups in bringing larger conventions to Detroit and the demand for rooms from companies moving downtown. And another large hotel will give the city more leverage to attract more large events.

...

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-pontchartrain

No indication on whether the new tower would follow the same design as the original or be more contemporary. I remember seeing the interior pictures post-renovation and because of the angled rooms and windows, the hotel rooms are kind of wonky. It leads me to believe the new tower will likely be more contemporary.